3wt7X wrote:The first couple year that I steelhead fished, I almost exclusively high stick nymphed them. I think its a great technique when performed correctly. My only argument against it would be that often guys lose their technique, while doing it, and rather than presenting the fly and leader, in a perpendicular angle towards the streambed, they over-reach the cast and swing the flies, causing lining. Lining often results in snagging the fish in the mouth, which is okay with some guys, but I don't think its all that sporting. No doubt that foul hooking fish is an inevitability, and the example Ryan gave of setting the hook on a fish that visabily takes your fly, only to have it pull and snag another fish is a prime example. I guess my point is, and I know JayL has mentioned this in the past, but using an indicator allows for a perpendicular presentation of your leader and flies. This, in turn, limits lining and gives direct contact with the fly, which has helped my hook up ratio.

Fwiw, I have never witnessed Jay use a suspension indicator.

After living together for so long, Tilt finally got in Jay’s head………and he’s got himself a pin outfit. He’s now moving to Montana (where nobody knows him). I fear, if he gets caught fishing that thing out there, the local buckaroos may hang him from the nearest ponderosa pine up in the high country.

I have tried and tried to floss, line and snag steelhead, but I find it is easiest to catch them if they actually take the nymph, egg or streamer. Other steelhead anglers are much better than I am at flossing, lining and snagging.

Posted on: 2011/10/9 13:33

Edited by JackM on 2011/10/9 16:40:48

_________________The doctrine of free will is the invention of the ruling class.

After living together for so long, Tilt finally got in Jay’s head………and he’s got himself a pin outfit. He’s now moving to Montana (where nobody knows him). I fear, if he gets caught fishing that thing out there, the local buckaroos may hang him from the nearest ponderosa pine up in the high country.

Well ya, he's used Raven and Thill floats. But those are floats. See? LOL.

Actually those floats could teach a lot of fly fishermen a thing or two about indicators, namely they are most beneficial to show the progress of your drift. Seeing a float go under is secondary.

High sticking certainly works well on Erie steelhead. You can also try the Czech style nymphing which has a lower rod angle with the rod tip aggressively downstream of the flies. This alows the line to be tight with the flies while trying to keep them just moving with the current or slightly faster. The advantage is nearly instant hookups on takes.